Casting mold assembly for casting continuous strip

ABSTRACT

A mold comprises opposite sidewall portions defining between them a longitudinally continuous gap, which is open only at respective opposite ends. Cooling means for uniformly cooling metal moving longitudinally through said gap throughout the cross section of said gap comprise two plate coolers, each of which contacts one of the sidewall portions on the outside thereof over less than the width of the sidewall portion. Each of the plate coolers is formed with a duct system extending therethrough which is adapted to conduct a coolant for dissipating heat from the associated wall portion.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Allred Adamec;

Roland Leder, both of Vienna, Austrla 21 1 App]. No. 863,860

I 22] Filed Oct. 6, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 l 73 I Auignee Wlener Schwochltromwerlie Gmhll Vienna, Austria [54] CASTING MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR CASTING CONTINUOUS STRIP 4 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

[52] US. Cl 164/283, 164/348 [51] Int. Cl ..B22dll/l2 [50] Field oiSearch 164/283,

I 56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,292,216 12/1966 Colombo 164/281 3,307,230 3/1967 Goss 164/282 X 3,391,725 7/1968 Rossi 164/282 X 3,467,168 9/1969 Charman 164/281 X 3,530,926 9/1970 Wertli 164/82 3,519,062 7/1970 Wertli 164/283 Primary Examiner-.1. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Anomey-McGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: A mold comprises opposite sidewall portions defining between them a longitudinally continuous gap, which is open only at respective opposite ends. Cooling means for uniformly cooling metal moving longitudinally through said gap throughout the cross section of said gap comprise two plate coolers, each of which contacts one of the sidewall portions-on the outside thereof over less than the width of the sidewall portion. Each of the plate coolers is formed with a duct system extending therethrough which is adapted to conduct a coolant for dissipating heat from the associated wall portion.

iatented Dec. 14,1971 3,621,027

INIVEN'I'ORS ATTORNEYS CASTING MOLD ASSEMBLY ll' Olllt CASTING CONTIINEUOUS SP SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to devices for casting continuous strip from a molten metal or molten alloy using a shape-defining mold and in particular to a new and useful casting mold which is disposed between two plate coolers extending parallel to the broadside of the strip.

in the casting of continuous strip, it is known to use plate coolers, which contact the mold on opposite sides and extend parallel to the broadside of the strip. it has been found that plate coolers having a uniform action throughout the surface adversely affect the structure of the strip. Particularly when made in an intermittent operation, such strip exhibits parabolic lines due to the nature of the solidification and the plates impart a heterogeneous structure to the entire strip, particularly at its edges. This structure is not desirable for the further processing of the strip, particularly by cold working, because cracks and holes tend to be formed at the edges of the strip.

To avoid these disadvantages it has been proposed to heat the cooling device over a part of its length so that the structure at the edge can be homogenized to some extent. However, the heating of a cooling device is a complicated measure and is undesirable from the aspect of thermal efficiency.

in accordance with the invention, the problem set forth hereinbefore is accomplished in that the width of the plate cooler is less than the width of the strip to be cast so that the strip is uniformly cooled throughout its cross section and a uniform structure is obtained even at the edges of the strip without need for a complicated cooling apparatus.

The width of the plate cooler may vary in dependence on the width and thickness of the strip to be cast and is suitably l-lO percent smaller than the width of the strip. Continuous casting molds are used which consist of a plurality of parts held together by pressure plates, which are located beside the plate coolers and have a design and heat transfer properties such that they conduct heat from the edge zone at a rate to provide a constant temperature in the edge zones. Alternatively, the pressure plates may consist of flow-through coolers having an adjustable cooling effect to assist the cooling effect of the plate coolers. In this case too, the cooling effect of the pressure plates must be adjusted to result in a constant temperature in the edge zones.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and useful device for casting a continuous strip comprising a mold having spaced-apart walls defining a continuous strip gap with central cooling plate means contacting the central exterior portions thereof and separate side cooling plate means contacting each side of the exterior of said walls for effecting distinct temperature control of the strip in the center and sides thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous casting device which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

BRlEF DESCRIPTlON OF THE DRAWING The only FIGURE of the drawing is a sectional view of a continuous mold for continuous casting constructed in accordance with the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in particular, the continuous mold consists of two plates B and 2 and two spacers 3, 4i, which are held together by two pairs of pressure plates 5, 5 and 6, 6'. The pressure action exerted by the pressure plates 5, 5' and 6, 6 is indicated by arrows 7, 7'. The metal is fed in a molten state at one end of the mold between the plates l and 2, and it solidifies therebetween and is withdrawn from the other end of the mold as a metal strip. A gap for the passage of the metal is designated 8.

The molten metal is cooled by two central plate coolers 9 and 110, each of which consists essentially of a metal plate through which a system of cooling ducts It extends. A coolant, such as water, is directed through the ducts i ll. The width of the central plate coolers 9 and is less by about 10 percent than the width of the strip to be cast; the latter width is equal to the width of the gap h. As a result, the cooling effect in the edge zones of the strip is smaller than in the central zone so that a homogeneous structure is obtained throughout the cross section of the strip.

For the formation of a homogeneous structure of the edge zones of the strip throughout its length, the temperature of the edge zone of the mold must remain constant throughout the casting operation. This is accomplished by a suitably controlled conduction of heat by the pressure plates 5, 5' and 6, s. This conduction of heat is assisted by an additional cooling action, if desired. in this case, this is effected by directing a cooling medium through a system of cooling ducts l2, defined in each pressure plate. The cooling effect produced by the cooled plates 5, 5 and 6, s may be adjusted, e.g., by a variation of the rate of flow or temperature of the cooling medium.

What is claimed'is:

ll. Apparatus for continuously casting a metal strip section having a width considerably greater than its thickness from a melt of metal or an alloy, comprising wall means forming a mold and defining a longitudinally extending continuous mold cavity through which the melt passes as it is cooled and solidified, the mold cavity having width and thickness dimensions similar to the strip section being cast, cooling means contacting the outer surface of said wall means and including a plate cooler having a duct system therein for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, said plate cooler disposed in contact the side of said wall means extending in the width direction of the mold cavity, and said plate cooler having a width in the range of l to 10 percent less than the width of the mold cavity so that its edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity are spaced inwardly from the corresponding edges of the mold cavity.

2. Apparatus, as set forth in claim ll, characterized in that said well means comprises a first and a second sidewall defining the width dimension of the mold cavity and a pair of spacers disposed between the opposite edges of the said first and second sidewalls which extend in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity, said spacers defining the thickness dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means comprising a pair of pressure plates extending along each edge of said first and second sidewalls which extend in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity and said pair of pressure plates being in register with said spacer extending between the longitudinally extending edges of said first and second walls, and said pressure plates having cooling ducts extending therethrough.

3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim ll, characterized in that said wall means comprises a pair of oppositely spaced separate first and second sidewall members defining the width dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means including one said plate cooler in contact with the outer surface of each of said first and second sidewall members and a side pressure plate overlying each of said first and second sidewall members and contacting respective ones of said sidewall members on the outside thereof adjacent each longitudinally extending edge thereof and being free of contact with said plate coolers, said pressure plates being arranged to conduct heat from said first and second sidewall members so as to maintain a constant temperature in the melt moving through the mold cavity adjacent the side edges thereof.

11. Apparatus, as set forth in claim ll, characterized in that said wall mans comprises a pair of oppositely spaced separate first and second sidewall members defining the width dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means including one said plate cooler in contact with the outer surface of each of said first and second sidewall members and a side pressure plate overlying each of said first and second sidewall members and holding them together and contacting said sidewall members on the outside thereof in areas which are adjacent the side longitudinally extending edges of the said sidewall members and being free of contact with said plate coolers, and means for conducting a cooling medium through said pressure plates for 5 varying the cooling effect on the strip being cast as it passes through the mold cavity.

# I i i i 4212 10mm mm:

UNITED STATES PATENT orFIcE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECWUN Patent No. 3,627,027 Dated c m r 1 1971 lnventofls) ALFRED ADAMEC and ROLAND LEDER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified. patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading of the patent, the following is to be inserted:

Priority November 15, 196

Austria (SEAL) Attestz EDWARD M.FLETGHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSGHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 60376-969 w u.s, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 o3ss-334 FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) 

1. Apparatus for continuously casting a metal strip section having a width considerably greater than its thickness from a melt of metal or an alloy, comprising wall means forming a mold and defining a longitudinally extending continuous mold cavity through which the melt passes as it is cooled and solidified, the mold cavity having width and thickness dimensions similar to the strip section being cast, cooling means contacting the outer surface of said wall means and including a plate cooler having a duct system therein for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, said plate cooler disposed in contact the side of said wall means extending in the width direction of the mold cavity, and said plate cooler having a width in the range of 1 to 10 percent less than the width of the mold cavity so that its edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity are spaced inwardly from the corresponding edges of the mold cavity.
 2. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said wall means comprises a first and a second sidewall defining the width dimension of the mold cavity and a pair of spacers disposed between the opposite edges of the said first and second sidewalls which extend in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity, said spacers defining the thickness dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means comprising a pair of pressure plates extending along each edge of said first and second sidewalls which extend in the longitudinal direction of the mold cavity and said pair of pressure plates being in register with said spacer extenDing between the longitudinally extending edges of said first and second walls, and said pressure plates having cooling ducts extending therethrough.
 3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said wall means comprises a pair of oppositely spaced separate first and second sidewall members defining the width dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means including one said plate cooler in contact with the outer surface of each of said first and second sidewall members and a side pressure plate overlying each of said first and second sidewall members and contacting respective ones of said sidewall members on the outside thereof adjacent each longitudinally extending edge thereof and being free of contact with said plate coolers, said pressure plates being arranged to conduct heat from said first and second sidewall members so as to maintain a constant temperature in the melt moving through the mold cavity adjacent the side edges thereof.
 4. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said wall means comprises a pair of oppositely spaced separate first and second sidewall members defining the width dimension of the mold cavity, said cooling means including one said plate cooler in contact with the outer surface of each of said first and second sidewall members and a side pressure plate overlying each of said first and second sidewall members and holding them together and contacting said sidewall members on the outside thereof in areas which are adjacent the side longitudinally extending edges of the said sidewall members and being free of contact with said plate coolers, and means for conducting a cooling medium through said pressure plates for varying the cooling effect on the strip being cast as it passes through the mold cavity. 